Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that damages motor neurons, eventually leading to disability and an inability to perform everyday tasks, including difficulty with eating and drinking.
There was a time when I could twist off the lid of a new jar of peanut butter with ease; I always enjoyed hearing that distinctive pop when the lids finally gave way. Pickles, spaghetti sauce, whatever: Those jars were no match for my grip strength and determination. Now, although…
A new Canadian initiative seeks to advance development of an artificial intelligence (AI) program aimed at helping healthcare professionals detect possible signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the disease’s early stages. The AI program is crafted to analyze de-identified electronic medical records (EMRs) and detect individuals who should…
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is now expected to issue a decision in the first months of 2024 on the conditional approval of masitinib as an add-on oral therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The deadline extension follows a request, seeking more time, from AB Science, the therapy’s developer,…
“Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely, right where you are — in your own homes and in your own families, in your workplaces and in your schools. You can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have eyes to see.” — Mother…
People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are not at a higher risk of complications due to a spinal tap than are healthy individuals or those with other neuromuscular disorders, according to a small U.S. study. Findings show that ALS patients have a relatively lower risk for such adverse events,…
Every person with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) should be offered genetic testing to check for the most common ALS-causing mutations, according to a new set of expert guidelines. “These evidence-based, consensus guidelines will support all stakeholders in the ALS community in navigating benefits and challenges of genetic testing,”…
PathMaker Neurosystems has launched a Phase 1 clinical trial that will test its experimental noninvasive nerve-modulating device in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This is the first time that the device — called the MyoRegulator and designed to slow disease progression in ALS — will…
Treatment with Ultomiris (ravulizumab-cwvz) — a therapy approved for several rare diseases that works by blocking activation of part of the immune system called the complement cascade — failed to slow the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a Phase 3 clinical trial that had been launched…
Inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome — an immune system protein complex believed to contribute to the inflammation that drives amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — alone was not sufficient to ease spinal cord inflammation in a mouse model of the disease, according to recent research. NLRP3 is overactive in ALS and…
